Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-08-03
THE MYSTERIOUS WOMAN.
Twice Positively Identified, But MISTAKES
in Both Cases.

Twice Positively Identified, But Mistakes
in Both Cases.
Interview in the Chicago Tribune.
| was in New York the first year or
the war. One morning there was
found In the North River the body OF
g. young woman. There was q gag
upon the mouth and heavy, weight
tied TO the waist, showing tnat the
girl had been murdered. She mad
nothing on but an embroidered under
garment one Isle thread stocking two
sizes larger than the foot but exactly
fitting the leg. The face was very
beautiful, and there was no mark or
blemish on the body except q small
scar on a lower limb. Every effort
was made to identify her without sue
cess, so the head was removed and
preserved in the Office OF the city
physician and the body was buried.
Shortly afterwards gentleman
happening to see the head declared 1T
to be that OF woman named Ada
Ricard, g. young woman or DUBIOUS
status. but of marvellous beauty, who
q few weeks before had suddenly left
Ger hotel and had not been heard OF
since, Upon comparison Of dates it
was found that the disappearance of
Ada Picard and the finding OF the
body exactly correspondent.
The detectives then made search Tor
Charles Ricard, her supposed husband,
and found him. He had not lived
with her for some time and he had not
seen her for months, but he gave g.
very minute description OF her person
al appearance. He spoke of her beau.
tiful teeth, marred by the loss OF one
onthe left side; that her ears had been
pierced twice; that she had a small
scar on lower limb, and that she
was forced to wear stockings too
large for her feet, owing to the devel-
opment OF her limbs. He also gave 8
minute account of her hair, cast OF
face, height and weight. When ne gave
this description he was not aware OF
the death of his wife, and when he
was confronted with the head he sank
into p chair Mortified.
His statement having been COM
pared with this head and the record
of the body, the likeness was found to
be exact, except from each side OF the
mouth. Upon closer examination by
the physician, however, it was found
that the tooth upon the right side had
been forced from its place and was
still adhering to the gum. Being
pushed into proper position Ricard
fully identified the head as that OF his
wife. Other witnesses, too, were found,
among them, Ada Ricard's hair.
dresser, who confirmed the statement
of Charles Ricard. The identity OF the
murdered woman seemed established
beyond question, and detectives went
to work to discover the murderer when
Ada Ricard herself appearedat a down
town no tel in perfect health. She
had suddenly taken g. notion TO go to
New Orleans without saying anything
to anybody. That city was at the
time under the command OF Gen. But
Ter who had turned Mrs. Ricard back
North again. And so the CHASTITY head
continued as much of mystery as
ever.
Descriptions were again sent out,
and woman came from Boston and
identified the body as that of q miss
ing daughter, and she was corrob-
GRATED by several of her friends. The
identification was quite as complete
as in the case of Ada Ricard, and yet
before the woman could remove the
remains to Boston word came to her
that her daughter was alive and IN
one OF the hospitals of the city, which
turned out to be true, and the mys-
terry remained as great as ever. 1t
never has been ascertained who the
murdered woman was.